Get Your New Staff Up to Speed in 2017

Posted February 17th, 2017

One you’ve selected a candidate and they arrive for their first day on the job, the hard part is done, right? Nope, not even close.

Onboarding new employees properly is a key step to their ultimate success in the workplace, and it is surprisingly easy to get wrong. If you want your new staff to get up to speed as efficiently as possible, integrate these tips into your new employee onboarding process.

Avoid Quick Judgments

Think back to the last time you started a position with a new company. How long did it take you to feel confident in your daily work? A month? Six months? A year?

Some companies operate under the idea that a new employee should be completely comfortable in as little as two weeks. And, normally, that just isn’t enough time to determine an employee’s likelihood of success over the long term.

Instead of rushing to judgment regarding their capabilities, see those first few months as investments in their development, especially if the position is entry-level. Set goals regarding how their abilities should grow, and create training opportunities around meeting those goals. By creating a larger plan, it is easier to see how long it should actually take for all of your expectations to be met.

Help Them Connect to the Mission

It can be hard for new employees to see how their work fits into the larger picture. But not having that sense of larger purpose can actually be very harmful to morale.

Instead of leaving new employees floundering as they try and figure out how their work fits in, help them learn about how everything comes together. Introduce them to the people their work supports, and let them know how that work furthers the mission. It’s also useful to share success stories about the company’s work so that the end results are easier to grasp.

Recognize Achievements

As the employee begins to pick up new tasks and make progress through training plans, make sure and acknowledge their effort. By letting them know that you see their effort, you help them build confidence in their new positions and can help encourage additional development in the future.

Employees that feel acknowledge are often more productive. And that, when that is applied to an employee going through the onboarding process, can help motivate them to push through what can be a challenging time.

This also opens the door to have conversations about any challenges they are facing. Often, it is easier to discuss problem areas when you feel that your hard work is otherwise recognized, which may make them more comfortable when it comes time to ask for help.

Learn from Your Mistakes

As you work on the onboarding process, it is likely you’ll try some techniques that work while others simply don’t. Just as it takes some trial and error to learn a new job, the same can be said for creating the ideal onboarding process. So, give yourself the time it takes to work out the kinks, and you’ll end up with a system you can build on for years to come.

If you’re looking for your next new employee for 2017, The Advance Group is here to help. Contact us and speak with one of your professional recruiters about your hiring needs today.